Copyright protection storage medium, information recording apparatus and information recording method, and information playback apparatus and information playback method

ABSTRACT

To provide a copyright protection storage medium in which copyright protected contents are recorded by an information recording apparatus connected to a content server providing copyright protected contents and a license server handling licenses concerning recording/playback of the copyright protected contents through a network, in which the copyright protected contents are written by a simple copy-and-paste when the information recording apparatus is possessed by a prescribed user, and the copyright protected contents are written by combining a domain model which assures playback in the apparatus and a media-bind model when the information recording apparatus is possessed by another user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese PatentApplication JP 2006-183707 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Jul.3, 2006, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a copyright, protection storage medium having afunction of protecting copyright of contents at the time of recordingand playing back contents, an information recording apparatus and aninformation recording method performing writing copyright protectedcontents to the copyright protection storage medium, and an informationplayback apparatus and an information playback method playing backcopyright protected contents from the copyright protection storagemedium.

2. Description of the Related Art

A service of selling digital contents such as music, movies and the likethrough networks such as Internet becomes widespread. For example, byusing a music distribution service (Electronic Music Distribution: EMD)utilising Internet, it is possible that digital music contents aredownloaded and stored in a personal computer which is a client terminaland played back on the personal computer.

At this time, on the side of the personal computer, a secure service isrealized by activating a music recording/playback application adopting aprescribed copyright protection technology based on an OS, and storingcontent files including encrypted digital contents and right files inwhich usage rules corresponding to the contents are written in a HDD anathe like.

In JP-A-14-359616 (Patent Document 1) by the same assignee hereof, aninformation processing apparatus and the like is disclosed, whichpositively prevents unauthorised use without interfering distribution ofcontents by activating the music recording/playback application adoptinga prescribed copyright protection technology.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the past, it was difficult to play back user-bind contents by devicespossessed by others. It was also difficult to make backup copies and thelike of media-bind contents because they were bound by media. Inaddition, since a secure protocol is necessary every time contents aretransferred, processing is slow.

Thus, it is desirable to provide a copyright protection storage medium,an information recording apparatus and an information recording method,and an information playback apparatus and an information playback methodcapable of playing back contents by devices possessed by others even ifcontents are user-bind contents, and capable of making backup copies ofmedia-bind contents.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided acopyright protection storage medium in which copyright protectedcontents are recorded by an information recording apparatus connected toa content server providing copyright protected contents and a licenseserver handling licenses concerning recording/playback of copyrightprotected contents through a network, in which the copyright protectedcontents are written by a simple copy-and-paste when the informationrecording apparatus is possessed by a prescribed user, and the copyrightprotected contents are written by combining a domain model which assuresplayback in the apparatus and a media-bind model when the informationrecording apparatus is possessed by another user.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided aninformation recording apparatus connected to a content server providingcopyright protected contents and a license server handling licensesconcerning recording/playback of copyright protected contents through anetwork, receiving and recording the copyright protected contents, whichincludes a writing means for writing the copyright protected contents ina copyright protection storage medium, in which the writing means writesthe copyright protected content in the copyright protection storagemedium by a simple copy-and-paste when the information recordingapparatus is possessed by a prescribed user, and the writing meanswrites the copyright protected contents in the copyright protectionstorage medium by combining a domain model which assures playback in theapparatus and a media-bind model when the information recordingapparatus is possessed by another user.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided aninformation recording method executed by an information recordingapparatus connected to a content server providing copyright protectedcontents and a license server handling licenses concerningrecording/playback of copyright protected contents through a network,receiving and recording the copyright protected contents, which includesa step of writing the copyright protected contents in a copyrightprotection storage medium, in which, in the step of writing, thecopyright protected contents are written in the copyright protectionstorage medium by a simple copy-and-paste when the information recordingapparatus is possessed by a prescribed user, and the copyright protectedcontents are written in the copyright protect ion storage medium bycombining a domain model which assures playback in the apparatus and amedia-bind model when the information recording apparatus is possessedby another user.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided aninformation playback apparatus playing back copyright protected contentsrecorded in a copyright protection storage medium, which includes aplayback means for playing back the copyright protected contents fromthe copyright protection storage medium, in which the playback meansplays back the copyright protected contents written in the copyrightprotection storage medium by a simple copy-and-paste when theinformation playback apparatus is possessed by a prescribed user, andthe playback means plays back the copyright protected contents writtenin the copyright protection storage medium by combining a domain modeland the media-bind model when the information playback apparatus ispossessed by another user.

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided aninformation playback method executed by an information playbackapparatus playing back copyright protected contents recorded in acopyright protection storage medium, which includes a step of playingback the copyright protected contents from the copyright protectionstorage medium, in which, in the step of playing back, the copyrightprotected contents written in the copyright protection storage mediumare played back by a simple copy-and-paste when the information playbackapparatus is possessed by a prescribed user, and the copyright protectedcontents written in the copyright protection storage medium are playedback by combining a domain model and the media-bind model when theinformation playback apparatus is possessed by another user.

Accordingly, the invention relates to writing and playback of copyrightprotected contents in the storage medium with a copyright protectionfunction, supporting both user bind and media bind. Specifically, aunique ID for identifying individuals is set to the copyright protectionstorage medium, and a user key using the unique ID is encrypted. Theuser key encrypts a content key.

At the time of playback, when a copyright protected content is playedback from the copyright, protection storage medium, a unique ID isdefinitely acquired and the user key is decrypted from the ID. This isfor assuring that playback is securely performed even when the device(information playback apparatus) is possessed by others. In the case ofterminals possessed by the same user, they have the same user key,therefore, the content key can be directly decrypted.

Ciphers of the user key using the unique ID written in the copyrightprotection storage medium are processed, securely at the license serveror at an information recording apparatus.

According to an embodiment of the invention, even in user-bind copyrightprotected contents, playback in the information playback apparatuspossessed by others is enabled, and backup of media-bind copyrightprotected contents is enabled. In addition, processing at the time oftransferring copyright protected contents can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a whole configuration diagram of a content providing system;

FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of PCs according to anembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of PDs according to theembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a removal recording medium;

FIG. 5 is a chart for explaining usage rules;

FIG. 6 is a chart for explaining specific examples of the usage rules;

FIG. 7 is a function configuration diagram of a license server 3;

FIG. 8 is a chart showing user information stored in a user informationstorage unit;

FIG. 9 is a chart showing data managed according to users in the case ofa user-bind model;

FIG. 10 is a function configuration diagram of a content server;

FIG. 11 is a diagram explaining registration of a user and generation ofa user key;

FIG. 12 is a diagram explaining processing procedure performingregistration of a device key;

FIG. 13 is a timing chart explaining issue of a license in the licenseserver; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the license.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be explained withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a whole configuration diagram of a content providing systemincluding plural user devices as specific examples of an informationrecording apparatus and an information playback apparatus according tothe embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a content providing system 1connects a user terminal group 5 grouped by a user A, a user terminalgroup 13 grouped by a user B, a content providing server (hereinafter,referred to as a content server) 2, and a copyright, management server(hereinafter, referred to as a license server) 3 to a network 4 such asInternet. In FIG. 1, the content server 2 and the license server 3 areshown as servers having different configurations, however, it is alsopreferable that they are united as one server.

In the user terminal group 5 grouped by the user A, user devices can beexemplified by a note-type or desktop-type personal computer (PC) 6, aportable information terminal device (personal Digital Assistant: PDA)7, a cellular phone 8, a portable device (PD) 9 which is a portablecontent playback device and the like. The user terminal group 5 of theuser A also includes a PD 10 connected to the PC 6 by an USB. The PDA 7,the cellular phone 8, and the PD 9 can be also connected to the PC 6using I/F such as the USB and IEEE. The PD 9 can connect a semiconductormemory, a hard disk and the like as removable media 11 having acopyright protection function. The removable media 11 can be connectedto the PC 6 as a matter of course, and the PC 6 and PD 9 can exchangedata with each other by the removal media 11. Similarly, the cellularphone 8 can also connect semiconductor memories as removable media 12.The cellular phone 8 can also exchange data with the PC 6 using theremovable media 12.

The removable media 11, 12 and the like with the copyright protectionfunction have the function of protecting copyright of contents at thetime of recording and playback, of the contents. An embodiment of theinvention is a copyright protection storage medium in which copyrightprotection contents are recorded by the information recording apparatus(user device) in the information providing system 1, in which thecopyright protection contents are written by a simple copy-and-pastewhen the user device is possessed by a prescribed, user, and thecopyright protection contents are written by combining a domain modelwhich assures playback in the apparatus and a media-bind model when theuser device is possessed by another user. The prescribed user is theuser A and another user is, for example, the latter user B. Suppose thatrespective user devices included in the user terminal group 5 of theuser A are registered in the license server 3, concerningrecording/playback of a copyright protected content. Suppose that therespective user devices included in the user terminal group 13 of theuser B are registered in the license server 3, concerning torecording/playback of another copyright protected content. In this case,registration in the license server 3 means that respective users haveobtained licenses concerning recording/playback of desired copyrightprotected contents. In the following description, it is assumed that theuser A has obtained the license concerning the copyright protectedcontent desired by the user A. It is assumed that the user B has notobtained the license obtained by the user A.

The user terminal group 13 grouped by the user B are a PC 14, a PDA 15,a cellular phone 16 and a PD 17. The PC 14 includes a slot to whichremovable media 18 having the copyright protection function such as thesemiconductor memory and the like are inserted as a matter of course,and can be connected to other user devices in the terminal group 13 byusing I/F such as the USB and IEEE. The removal media IS are also thecopyright protection storage media.

The above respective user devices in the user terminal groups 5 and 13include, for example, utilizing functions of contents (for example,functions of playing back, storing, moving, connecting, dividing,converting, copying, lending, returning of contents), a function ofcontent playback control, a function of management of contents (forexample, a search function or a delete function of contents, contentkeys and the like based on content IDs), a function of creating contentsby ripping or self-recording and the like.

The user devices are specific examples of the information recordingapparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. That is, the userdevices are information recording apparatuses connecting to the contentserver 2 which provides copyright protected contents and the licenseserver 3 which handles licenses concerning recording/playback ofcopyright protected contents through the network 4, receiving andrecording copyright protected, contents, which includes a writing unitwhich writes the copyright protected contents in the copyrightprotection storage media 11, 12 or 18. The writing unit writes thecopyright protected contents in the copyright protection storage media11, 12 by the simple copy-and-paste when a prescribed user (for example,user A) having a license for the copyright protected content possessesthe information recording apparatus, and writes the copyright protectedcontent in the copyright protection storage media 18 by combining adomain model which assures playback in the apparatus and a media-bindmodel when another user different from the prescribed user having thelicense of the copyright protected content possesses the informationrecording apparatus.

Also, the user apparatuses are specific examples of the informationplayback apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, whichare information playback apparatuses playing back copyright protectedcontents recorded in the copyright protection storage medium 11 and thelike, having a playback unit which plays back the copyright protectedcontents from the copyright protection storage medium 11 and the like.The playback unit plays back the copyright protected content written inthe copyright protection storage medium by the simple copy-and-pastewhen a prescribed user (user A) having a license for the copyrightprotected content possesses the information playback apparatus, andplays back the copyright protected content written in the copyrightprotection storage medium by combining the domain model and themedia-bind model when another user (user B) possesses the informationplayback apparatus.

In these user devices, devices having a communication function throughthe network 4 (for example, the PC 6 and 14) can be communicated andconnected between the license server 3 and the content server 2. The PC6 and 14 are capable of downloading, for example, software for contentdistribution service or software for copyright management to beinstalled therein. Accordingly, the PC 6 and 14 receive distribution ofencrypted contents from the content server 2, and receive distributionof content keys for contents or licenses including usage rules forcontents from the license server 3. The PCs 6 and 14 are also capable ofrecording these data in storage devices such as the HDD or in removablestorage media such as the semiconductor memories 11, 12 or 18 or anoptical disc, an magnetic optical disc. Though not especially notifiedin the following description, the storage devices and removable storagemedia mentioned here will be specific examples of the copyrightprotection storage medium according to an embodiment of the invention.

The respective user devices in the user terminal groups 5 and 13 ofrespective users are capable of newly creating a content byself-recording (audio recording, picture recording by oneself, and thelike) or ripping to be recorded in the storage device or the removalstorage medium. The self-recording means that audio and the likeimaged/picked up by an imaging apparatus/an audio pickup apparatuspossessed by the user device itself are stored as video/audio digitaldata. The ripping means that digital contents (audio data, video dataand the like) recorded in storage media such as a music CD, a video DVD,CD-ROM for software are extracted and converted into a file format whichcan be processed by a computer to be stored in the storage devices orthe removal storage media.

As described above, for example, when the PD9 and 10, the cellular phone8 and the PDA 7 in the user terminal group 5 of the user A are connectedto the PC 6, contents are downloaded in the PC 6 from the contentsserver 2 through the network 4. The contents which can be played back inthe PC 6 can be played back also in connected respective user devices.It is also preferable that the PDA 7, the cellular phone 8, the PD 9,and the PD 10 are directly connected to the network 4 not through the PC6, and receive copyright protected contents from the content server 2and license information concerning copyright protection from the licenseserver 3.

The invention relates to a copyright protection technology in which,when a prescribed user (user A) having a license of recording/playbackof a copyright protected content writes the copyright protected content,in a copyright protection medium in respective user devices which areinformation recording/playback apparatuses, a domain model which assuresplayback in the device is combined with a media-bind model in a deviceused by another user (user B).

The user domain model is a user-bind model, in which copyright protectedcontents can be exchanged freely in all user devices possessed by theprescribed user and the contents can be played back in respective userdevices. As a means of explicitly representing respective user devicespossessed by the prescribed user, the terminals can be registered byusing a user account in the license server 3. The user devicesregistered in the license server 3 are regarded as terminals possessedby the user, and copyright protected contents can be exchanged freely.In this model, terminals not possessed by the prescribed user (user A),namely, the terminals not registered in the license server 3 areregarded as terminals of another user (for example, the user B), andthough copyright protection contents can be exchanged, it is difficultto play back the contents. The terminals not registered in the licenseserver 3 in this case are user devices of the user B who does not havethe license.

The definition of a media-bind model is explained as follows. When acopyright protected content is transferred to media with the copyrightprotection function such as a “MEMORY STICK” (MS)(Trademark of SonyCorporation) or a SD, it is difficult to copy the content written in the“MS” to another medium, and the content is bound with the medium. Thisis defined as a media bind in this case. The content which has beenmedia-bound, can be played back at any time regardless of a possessor ofthe terminal. For example, both the user A and the user B have a “MSWALKMAN” (Registered Trademark of Sony Corporation), the content which,has been media-bound can be played back by either user's “MS WALKMAN”.On the other hand, it is difficult to make backup copies of data easily.

The invention relates to a writing method, and a playing method ofcopyright protected contents in and from the copyright, protectionmedia, in which both the user bind and the media bind are supported.

According to en embodiment of the invention, particularly, a user key isencrypted based on a unique ID corresponding to a copyright protectionmedium mounted or to be mounted on each user device in the user terminalgroup which is grouped by each user. That is, the user key is encryptedby using a unique ID for identifying a medium with the copyrightprotection function. For example, the license server 3 sets a device keyKdev peculiar to each user device based on the unique ID peculiar toeach medium, and a user key Kusr is encrypted by the device key Kdev.The user key Kusr encrypts a content key Kc, therefore, on the side ofthe user device, after the user key Kusr is decrypted by the device keyKdev, the content key Kc is acquired by using the decrypted user keyKusr, and the encrypted content, namely, the content copyright of whichis protected is decrypted and played back by using the content key Kc.

As described above, at the time of playback of the copyright protectedcontent by the user device, in the case of playing back from medium, anID unique to the copyright protection medium is surely acquired, and theuser key is decrypted from that. That is to certify that playback issurely performed by another user device. Since the terminal possessed bythe same user has the same user key, the content key can foe directlydecrypted.

In addition, ciphers of the user key using the unique ID written in thecopyright protection media are processed securely at the license serveror at a client.

Each user device in the user-bind model operates as follows. First, eachterminal has a unique terminal key (Kdev). A user key (Kusr) is providedfor each user. When the user registers a terminal (Kdev 1), the user key(Kusr) is acquired. The user key (Kusr) is encrypted by the terminal key(Kdev1) and transferred (Enc(Kdev1, Kuser), A content key (Kc) isencrypted by the user key (kusr). A license includes usage rules and Enc(Kusr, Kc). The acquired license is embedded in the content.

On the other hand, each DRM in the media bind operates as follows.First, an encrypted content is written in a medium in a format inaccordance with a protection method of the medium (copyright protectionstorage medium). The license is written in the medium, converted intothe format in accordance with the protection method of the medium. Thelicense and the content key are securely written by using secret data oran area of the medium. That is, even if the content and the license aresimply transferred to another medium, it is difficult to play back thecontent by the medium which has been copied as long as data written inthe secret area is not copied.

Though the details concerning processing of embodiments of the inventionwill be described later, an outline of the processing will be describedbelow. First, when the copyright protected content and the license arewritten in the medium (copyright protection storage medium), the userkey (Kusr) is encrypted by using data unique to the medium (ID and thelike). The encrypted data Enc (Kid, Kusr) is written in the medium as itis. The data is generated on the service side (license server) or on theterminal (user device) side. The content and the license are written inthe medium as they are. According to the processing, playback can beperformed by the medium itself as well as the user bind can besupported.

The license server 3 give a license to the user, which is necessary forthe user to use a content provided from the later-described content,server 2. The content key necessary for user to decrypt the encryptedcontent is transmitted securely to the user, and the content is sharedbetween devices possessed, by the user, while limiting playback of thecontent. Specifically, the license server performs registrationprocessing of users, user devices possessed by the users, or copyright,protection storage media, and performs encryption of the content key tobe transmitted to the user device.

The content server 2 is a server providing contents such as copyrightprotected contents to the user A or the user B. The content, server 2distributes copyright protected contents to a user device possessed bythe user A through the network 4 in accordance with, for example, arequest from any of user devices among the user terminal group 5 of theuser A. The content server 2 also distributes copyright protectedcontents to a user device possessed by the user 8 through the network 4in accordance with, for example, a request, from any of user devicesamong the user terminal group 13 of the user B.

For example, when a music content is distributed, the content server 2is formed as a server which provides an Electric Music Distribution(EMD) service. In this case, the content server 2 compresses and encodesthe music content to be distributed by a compressing and encodingmethod, for example, an ATRAC 3 (Advanced Transform Acoustic Coding)method or a MP 3 (MPEG Audio Layer-3) method, and encrypts the contentby a DBS (Data Encryption Standard) and the like, then, distributes thecontent to the user device. The content server may also transmit acontent key for decrypting the content after decrypting the key with theencrypted content as described above. The content server may furtherprovide the content key to the license server 3, and the license server3 may encrypt the content key and transmit it to the user device.

The content server 2 can be also formed as a server which provides acreated content utilization service managing use of contents created byuser devices belonging to the user terminal, groups 5 and 13 ofrespective users, for example, by ripping, self-recording and the like.In this case, the content server 2 distributes a content key whichdecrypts the content to the user device. Accordingly, the user devicecan play back the content created by ripping and the like by itselfbased on the content, key acquired from the content server 2.

The network 4 is a communication network connecting the user devices tothe license server 3 and the content server 2 to be communicable to oneanother. The network 4 includes, for example, public networks such asInternet, a telephone network and a satellite network, or dedicatednetworks such as WAN, LAN, IP-VPN, and both wired/wireless networks canbe applied.

The content providing system 1 of the above configuration improvesportability of contents between respective user devices while securingthe copyright management function which limits the use of contents,which increases the convenience and the degree of freedom for usingcontents.

Hardware configurations of user devices will be explained. Hereinafter,as typical examples, hardware configurations of the PCs 6 and 14, thePDs 9, 10, and 17 will be explained. Each of the PCs 6 and 14, the PDs9, 10, and 17 which are user devices is formed as an embodiment of theinformation recording/playback apparatus.

First, with reference to FIG. 2, the hardware configuration of the PCs 6and 14 according to the embodiment will be explained. FIG. 2 is a blockdiagram schematically showing an example of the hardware configurationof the PCs 6 and 14 according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the PCs 6 and 14 include, for example, a CPU(Central Processing Unit) 101, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 102, a RAM(Random Access Memory) 103, a host bus 104, a bridge 105, an externalbus 106, an interface 107, an input device 103, an output device 110, astorage device (HDD) 111, a drive 112, a connection port 114 and acommunication device 115.

The CPU 101 functions as a computing processing device and a controldevice, operating in accordance with various programs stored in the ROM102 or the HDD 111 to control respective units in the PCs 6 and 14. Asspecific processing, for example, encryption/decryption processing ofcontents, generation and verification processing of digital signatures(MAC (Message Authentication Code) and the like) for preventing datatampering and for data verification, authentication and session keysharing processing performed with respect to another connected userdevice at the time of input and output of contents and the like, inputand output processing control of contents, licenses and content keys andthe like, and further copyright management processing such as licenseevaluation and the like are performed.

The ROM 102 stores programs, computing parameters and the like used inthe CPU 101. The ROM 102 can be used as a storage means for storingcontents, licenses and content keys and the like. The RAM 103temporarily stores programs used in execution by the CPU 101, parametersappropriately changing in the execution and the like. They are connectedby the host bus 104 including a CPU bus and the like to one another.

The host bus 104 is connected to the external bus 106 such as PCI(Peripheral Component Interconnect/interfaces bus through the bridge105.

The input device 108 includes, for example, operation means such as amouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, buttons and switches, and levers, andan input control circuit which generates input signals to be outputtedto the CPU 101. The users A and B of the PCs 6 and 14 can input variousdata or instruct processing operations with respect to the PCs 6 and 14by operating the input device 108.

The output device 110 includes, for example, a display device such as aCRT (Cathode Rat Tube) display device, a liquid crystal display (LCD)device, and a ramp, an audio output device such as a speaker. The outputdevice 110 outputs, for example, contents which are played back.Specifically, the display device displays played-back video contents bymotion pictures or still pictures in text or image. The audio outputdevice outputs played-back audio contents.

The HDD 111 is a device for storing data, which is formed as an exampleof a storage means of the PCs 6 and 14 according to the embodiment. TheHDD 111 stores programs executed by the CPU 101 and various data in ahard disc. In addition, various data such as contents, licenses anacontent keys are stored in the HDD 111.

The drive 112 is a reader/writer fox storage media, which is providedinside or outside the PCs 6 and 14. The drive 112 records and plays backvarious data such as contents, licenses and content keys with respect toa removable storage media 40 (specific examples of the copyrightprotection storage medium according to the embodiment of the invention,which are shown by the copyright protection storage media 11, 12 inFIG. 1) such as a magnetic disc (HD and the like), an optical disc (CD,DVD and the like), an optical magnetic disk (MO and the like), or asemiconductor memory loaded on the PCs 6 and 14.

Specifically, the drive 112 reads out data stored in the removal storagemedia 40, and supplies it to the RAM 103 connected through the interface107, the external bus 106, the bridge 105, and the host bus 104. The CPU101 stores these data to the ROM 102 or the HDD 111, if necessary. Thedrive 112 receives data stored in the ROM 102 or the HDD 111 and thelike, data which is newly generated, and data acquired from externaldevices from the CPU 101 and writes these data in the removable storagemedia 40.

The removal storage media 40 have a function of protecting copyright ofcontents at the time of recording and playing back contents. In theembodiment of the invention, they are copyright protection media inwhich copyright protected contents are recorded by information recordingapparatuses (user devices) in the content providing system 1, in whichthe copyright protected contents are written by the simplecopy-and-paste when the user device is possessed by the user, and thecopyright protected contents are written by combing a domain model whichassures playback in the device and a media-bind model when the userdevice is possessed by another user.

The connection port 114 is a port connecting, for example, the PCs 6 and14 to other devices, for example, external peripheral devices such asthe PDs 9, 10 and 17, having connection terminals such as the USB, IEEE1394. The connection port 114 is connected to the CPU 101 and the likethrough the interface 107, the external bus 106, the bridge 105, thehost bus 104 and the like. Various data will be communicable by suchconnection port 114, connecting to the PCs 6 and 14, the PDs 9, 10, 17and the like through the local line 4.

The communication device 115 is a communication interface includingcommunication devices and the like for connecting to the network 4. Thecommunication device 115 transmits and receives various data such ascontents, content keys with respect to other external devices such asother user devices, the license server 3, the content server 2 and thelike through the network 4.

Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the hardware configuration of the PDs 9,10 and 17 according to the embodiment will be explained. FIG. 3 is ablock diagram schematically showing an example of the hardwareconfiguration of the PD 9 of the user A. The configurations of the PD 10of the user A and the PD 17 of the user B are the same.

As shown in FIG. 3, the PD 9 includes, for example, a control device201, a flash memory 202, a RAM 203, a bus 206, an input device 208, adisplay device 210, a HDD 211, a drive 212, a decoder 213, acommunication device 215, an audio output circuit 216, a remotecontroller 218 and headphones 219.

The control device 201 operates in accordance with various programsstored, for example, in the flash memory 202 and the HDD 211,controlling respective portions of the PD 9. The flash memory 202stores, for example, programs prescribing operations of the controldevice 201 and various data. The ROM 102 can be used as a storage meansfor storing contents, licenses and content keys. The RAM 203 includes,for example, a SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM), temporarily storing variousdata concerning processing of the control device 201.

The bus 206 is a data line connecting the control device 201, the flashmemory 202, the RAM 203, a data processing device 204, the input device208, the display device 210, the HDD 211, the drive 212, the decoder213, the communication device 215, the audio output circuit 216 and thelike.

The input device 208 and the remote controller 213 include, for example,operation means such as a touch panel, button keys, levers, dials, andan input control circuit which generates input signals in accordancewith operation with respect to the operation means by the user. The userof the PD 9 can input various data and instruct processing operationswith respect to the PD 9 by operating the input, device 208 or theremote controller 213.

The display device 210 includes, for example, a LCD panel and a LCDcontrol circuit. The display device 210 displays various information intext or in image according to control of the control device 201.

The HDD 211 is a device for storing data formed as an example of astorage means of the PD 9 according to the embodiment. The HDD 211includes a hard disc drive (HDD) having storage capacity of, forexample, several dozen GB, which stores contents, licenses, contentkeys, programs of the control device 201, and various data. The PD 9including the BDD 211 is formed as a content recording/playback devicewhich can record and play back contents. Accordingly, it becomespossible that not only contents provided from the PC 6 through theremovable media 11 but also contents received from the PC 6 and the likethrough the local line are stored in the HDD 21 and played back.However, it is not limited to the example, and it is also preferablethat the PD 9 does not include the HDD 211 and formed as a playback-onlydevice of contents. In this case, the PD 9 can only read out and playback contents stored in, for example, the removable storage media 11(incapable of recording).

The drive 212 is a reader/writer for storage media, which is providedinside the PD 9. The drive 212 records and plays back various data suchas contents, licenses, and content keys with respect to the variousremovable storage media 11 loaded on the PD 9. The decoder 213 performsdecoding processing of encrypted contents, surround processing,conversion processing to PCM data, and the like.

The communication device 215 includes, for example, a USB controller, aUSB terminal and the like, which transmits and receives various datasuch as contents, licenses, content keys, and control signals withrespect to the user devices such as the PC 6 which is connected throughthe local line such as a USB cable.

The audio output circuit 216 amplifies analog audio data decoded by thedecoder 213 and DA-converted by the control device 201 and outputs thedata to the remote controller 218. The analog audio data is outputtedfrom the remote controller 213 to the headphones 219, and audio-outputted from a speaker (not shown) provided inside the headphones 219.

As described above, in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the hardware configurationexamples of the PCs 6, 14, the PD 9 and the like as examples of the userdevices have been explained. However, user devices using contents arenot limited to examples of the PCs 6, 14, the PD 9 and the like, and itcan include the PDAs 7 and 15, the cellular phones 8, 16 as shown inFIG. 1, and further, stationary audio players, other television devices,various electronic devices and information processing apparatuses.Therefore, the user devices execute processing according to the hardwareconfiguration peculiar to each device.

In the hardware configuration example of the PCs 6, 14, the PD 9 and thelike, a writing unit writing copyright protected contents in thecopyright protection storage media 11, 12 or 18 (shown as the removablemedia 40 in FIG. 2) is the CPU 101 which controls writing by the drive112. The CPU 101 writes the copyright protected contents to thecopyright protection storage media 11, 12 by a simple copy-and-pastewhen the user device is possessed by the prescribed user (user A), andwrites the copyright protected contents in the copyright protectionstorage medium 18 by combining a domain model which assures playback inthe device and a media-bind model when the user device is possessed byanother user (user B).

In the hardware configuration example of the PCs 6, 14, the PD 9 and thelike, a playback unit playing back copyright protected contents from thecopyright protection storage media 11, 12 or 18 (shown as the removablemedia 40 in FIG. 2) is the CPU 101 which controls playback of contentsfrom the removable storage media 40 by the drive 112. The CPU 101 playsback the copyright protected contents written in the copyrightprotection storage media 11 and the like by the simple copy-and-pastewhen the information playback apparatus is possessed by the prescribeduser (user A), and plays back the copyright protected contents writtenin the copyright protection storage medium 18 by combining a domainmodel and a media-bind model when the information playback device ispossessed by another user (user B).

Next, the removable storage media 40 such as the semiconductor memorymounded, on the user devices (PCs) shown in FIG. 2 will be explained.FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the removable storage media 40. Theremovable storage medium 40 includes a control module 44 which controlsdata input and output and performing encryption processing of data, anda flash memory 41 storing copyright protected contents 42 and licensedata 43 including an ID unique to the medium. The copyright protectedcontents 42 are transmitted from the content server 2. The license data43 is transmitted from the license server 3. The license data 43 iswritten in a usage rule shown in FIG. 5, including usage rules, a leafID shown in FIG. 6. The usage rules include information of an expirationdate for use until which the content can be used based on the license,an expiration date for download until which the content can bedownloaded based on the license, the number of times the content can becopied based on the license (permitted times of copy), the number ofcheck-out times, the maximum check-out times, a right for recording thecontent in a CD-R based on the license, the number of times the contentcan be copied in the PD, a right which can move the license to ownership(purchase state), a duty for taking a use log and the like. The detailsof the license will be described later, which includes a media-unique IDof the copyright protection medium registered in the license server 3.

Next, a function configuration of the license server 3 will be explainedwith reference to FIG. 7. Since the hardware configuration is the sameas the configuration of the PCs 6, 14 shown in FIG. 2, it will beomitted. As shown in FIG. 7, the license server 3 includes a receivingunit 302, a transmission unit 304, a registration unit 306, a linkissuing unit 308, a license issuing unit 310, a user information storageunit 312, a content key storage unit 314 and the like.

The receiving unit 302 is a communication interface including, forexample, a communication line, a communication circuit, a communicationdevice ana the like, which receives attribute information of the userdevice connected through the network 4 or receives information inputtedin the user device.

The registration unit 306 performs registration processing of a new userrequesting the use of a content providing service/copyright managementservice, registration change processing, registration cancel processingand management of user account, information (user IDs, credit numbers,passwords and the like). To users who are registered in these services,a peculiar key is given to each user. The key given in this case may bea public key and a secret key which will be a pair used in the publickey cryptosystem, or a common key used in the secret key cryptosystem.The key information is stored in the user information storage unit 312with user IDs.

The registration unit 306 performs management of the user devicespossessed by the user. The registration unit 306 acquires specificinformation of the user device (a type, a model, a version and the likeof the device) through the receiving unit 302, giving a device ID and akey unique to the user device. The device ID is identificationinformation which can uniquely specify the user device. It is alsopreferable that the registration unit 306 acquires the device IDpreviously set to the user device to manage the user device by thedevice ID.

As described above, the key information given by the registration unit306 is stored in the user information storage unit 312, being associatedwith the user ID or the device ID. The registration unit 306 generatesthe user ID or the device ID and key information as node information,transmitting the information to each user and each user device throughthe transmission unit 304. The user ID or the user device receiving thenode information acquires an ID uniquely identified in the licenseserver 3.

The key given in the registration 306 is used for encrypting the contentkey by the content server 2, or used for decrypting the content keyencrypted by the user device. For example, when a content key isencrypted by the public key of the user in the content server 2, it isnecessary for the user received the content key to decrypt the contentkey by the secret key of the user. Therefore, in this case, it isnecessary to transmit the secret key of the user to the user.

Generally, the license server 3 can acquire key informationcorresponding each user or each user device stored in the userinformation storage unit 312 by acquiring the user ID or the device ID.

With reference to FIG. 8, user information stored in the userinformation storage unit 312 will be explained. As shown in FIG. 8,information such as a user ID 3121, a credit, card numbers 3122, a userkey 3123, a device ID 2124, a device key 3125 and the like are stored inthe user information storage unit 312.

The user ID 3121 and the credit numbers 3122 are user accountinformation of a user who receives services from the content providingservice and the copyright management service, which is identificationinformation uniquely identifying the user A or the user B. The user key3123 is key information allocated to the user ID 3121.

The device ID 3124 stores IDs of user devices, which are IDs of the userdevices possessed by users. The device ID 3124 may be numbers uniquelyidentified in the content providing system 1, and may be identificationnumbers set to the user device previously at the shipment from thefactories, or may be identification numbers set by the registration unit306 of the license server 3.

The device key 3125 stores key information allocated to each userdevices. Also concerning to the device key 3125, it is preferable thatdevice keys previously set to the user devices are stored, or thatdevice keys allocated by the registration unit 306 are stored.

In addition, in the case of the user-bind model, the user informationstorage unit 312 stores data concerning copyright protection storagemedia managed by each user, associated with respect, to users as shownin FIG. 9. The user A in the user 3121 stores the user key 3123 as KusrA, and the device key 3125 concerning copyright protection storage mediato be mounted on respective user devices included in the user terminalgroup 5 of the user A as Kdev1, Kdev2, Kdev3 . . . . The user B in theuser 3121 stores the user key 3123 as Kusr B, and the device key 3125concerning copyright protection storage media to be mounted onrespective user devices included in the user terminal group 13 of theuser B as Kdev4, Kdev5 . . . .

Return to FIG. 7, the license issuing unit 310 issues a licenseincluding a content key to the user who purchased the content. At thistime, the license issuing unit 310 can securely distribute the contentkey to the user by encrypting the content, key included in the licenseby the secret key of the user. The license may also include usage rulesand the like of the content. The content key and usage rules of thecontent may also be provided by the content server 2.

The license issued in the license issuing unit 310 is transmitted to theuser devices (PCs 6 and 14) through the transmission 304. The licensemay also be stored in the user information storage unit 312.

The license includes a content ID and the like which identifies thecontent. The user may acquire the license from the license server 3after purchasing the content, or may acquire the license beforepurchasing the content in advance, and then, purchase the content.

It is also preferable that the content key storage unit 314 which storedcontent keys and the license issuing unit 310 are provided in thecontent server 2. In that case, the content server 2 may acquireinformation such as the user key and the like which encrypts the contentkey from the license server 3 and generate a license by encrypting thecontent key. The license generated in the content server 2 may betransmitted to the user device possessed by the user with the content.

The transmission unit 304 is a communication interface including, forexample, a communication line, a communication circuit, a communicationdevice and the like, having a function of transmitting node informationregistered and issued at the registration unit 306, and licenses issuedby the license issuing unit 310 to the user devices through the network.

The content key storage unit 314 stores the content keys, and mayreceive content keys generated at the content server 2 to be storedtherein, and may generate and store content keys at the license server3. For example, it is preferable that a content key is generated at thelicense server 3 and the content key is transmitted to the user device,further, transmitted to the content server 2. The content server 2received the content key may encrypt the content purchased by the userby the content key, and transmit the encrypted content to the userdevice. The function configuration of the license server 3 has beendescribed as the above.

Next, the function configuration of the content, server 2 will beexplained with reference to FIG. 10. Since the hardware configuration isthe same as the configuration of the PCs 6, 14 shown in FIG. 2, it isomitted. The content server 2 is a computer which provides contentinformation to respective user devices in the user terminal group 5 ofthe user A and respective user devices in the user terminal group 13 ofthe user B as described above. The content information includes metainformation of contents, content keys and the like. The content server 2can also transmit contents corresponding to content information to therespective user devices. The content server 2 further includes thefunction of the above license server 3.

The content server 2 includes, for example, a receiving unit 302, atransmission unit 304, a registration unit 306, a content informationtransmission unit 510, a content transmission unit 512, a content keyencryption unit 514, a content information creation unit 518, a contentacquisition unit 520, a user information storage unit 312, a contentinformation storage unit 524, a content key storage unit 314, and acontent storage unit 526 and the like.

Since the receiving unit 302, the transmission unit 304, theregistration unit 306, the user information storage unit 312 and thecontent key storage unit 314 have almost the same functions as the unitsof the above license server 3, explanations thereof are omitted.

The content information storage unit 524 stores identificationinformation of contents and meta information of the contents,associating them with each other. The meta information of contents isinformation showing features of the contents. The content informationstorage unit 524 includes a RAM, a HDD and the like.

The content key encryption unit 514 encrypts a content key unique to acontent by a user key unique to the user. Specifically, when the contentkey encryption unit 514 acquires a user ID and a content ID, the unitacquires a user key associated with the user ID from the userinformation storage unit 312, acquires a content key associated with thecontent ID from the content key storage unit 314, and encrypts theacquired content key by the acquired user key. More particularly,digital information (content key) as regulations for encrypting thecontent is recomposed by using prescribed regulations set as the userkey. The content key encryption unit 514 provides the encrypted contentkey to the content information creation unit 518.

The content information creation unit 518 creates content information tobe provided to the user. Specifically, the content information creationunit 518 acquires the user ID and the content ID, and acquires theencrypted content key from the content key encryption unit 514. Thecontent information creation unit 518 acquires meta information such asa title name, an artist name and the like associated with the acquiredcontent ID from the content information storage unit 524. The contentinformation creation unit 518 also generates information of uselimitation of the content. The information of use limitation of thecontent is information of limiting playback of the content which is, forexample, the number of times playback can be performed or a period oftime playback can be performed. Furthermore, the content informationcreation unit 518 acquires a device ID associated with the acquired userID from the user information storage unit 312. The content informationcreation unit 518 provides the content ID, the meta information of thecontent, the content key, the user ID as content information to thecontent information transmission unit 510. The content informationcreation unit 518 also provides the device ID acquired as the above tothe content information transmission unit 510, and provides the contentID and the device ID to the content acquisition unit 520.

The content information transmission unit 510 transmits contentinformation to the user. Specifically, the content informationtransmission unit 510 acquires the device ID, the user ID, the contentID, meta information of the content and the content key from the contentinformation creation unit 518 and transmits the content ID, the metainformation of the content, the content key and the user ID to a contentplayback device 506 specified by the device ID.

The content acquisition unit 520 acquires the content from the contentstorage unit 526, which is associated with the content ID acquired fromthe content information creation unit 518, and provides the content tothe content transmission unit 512 with the device ID acquired from thecontent information creation unit 518.

The content transmission unit 512 transmits the content acquired fromthe content acquisition unit 520 to the content playback device 506specified by the device ID acquired from the content acquisition unit520. The function configuration of the content server 2 has beendescribed as the above.

Next, registration of the user and generation of the user key will beexplained with reference to FIG. 11. The registration processing of theuser A is performed through the user device (PC) 6 connected to thenetwork 4. That is, the user registration is performed from the userdevice (PC) 6 to the license server 3. The user key is generated in thelicense server 3 based on the user registration.

First, specific information of the user A is transmitted to the licenseserver 3 (S122). The specific information of the user A is the user IDof the user A, numbers of a credit card possessed by the user A and thelike. The user ID is identification information which can be uniquelyspecified in the license server 3, and may be identification informationindicated by the user A or may be given in the license server 3.

In Step S122, the licenser server 3 to which specific information of theuser A has been transmitted performs registration processing of the userA (S124). In Step S124, the license server 3 stores the user ID of theuser A, credit card numbers and the like in the user information storageunit 312. The license server 3 also issues the user key of the user Aand stores the key in the user information storage unit 312, associatingit with the user ID and the like.

Then, the license server 3 issues a node of the user A including theuser ID and the user key stored in the user information storage unit 312(S126). The license server 3 transmits node information issued in StepS126 to the user device (PC) 6.

As described above, the user having the user device registers the userdevice possessed by himself/herself in the license server 3 through thenetwork 4. The user also performs user registration of the user usingthe content providing service or the copyright management service.Accordingly, the license server 3 providing the copyright managementservice can store and manage information of the user who desires to usethe copyright management service or information of user devicespossessed by the user in the user information storage unit 312. Inaddition, key information issued with respect to each user and each userdevice can be stored and managed in the user information storage unit,being associated with the user and the user device.

The license server 3 is capable of acquiring the user ID of the user Athrough the user device connected to the network 4, and leaning userdevices possessed by the user or key information of the user. Forexample, it is preferable to further encrypt, the content key by theuser key of the user A in order to securely distribute the content keyto the user which has been used for encryption of the content. Thelicense server 3 acquires an encryption key of the user A stored in theuser information storage unit 312 based on the acquired user ID of theuser A and encrypts the content key by the user key of the user A. It isdifficult to decrypt the content key encrypted by a public key of theuser A without using a secret key of the user A, therefore, it becomespossible that the license server 3 securely transmits the content key tothe user. In addition, since only the user A who purchased the contentcan decrypt the content key, it is possible to confine users who candecrypt the content key.

As the matter of course, when the license server 3 is the same as thecontent server 2, the user registration is per formed and the user keyis generated by the united server. It is also preferable that the userregistration is performed by redirecting to the license server 3 whenthe user device (PC) 6 gets access to the content server 2, and the userkey is generated in the license server 3.

Next, a processing procedure in which registration of a device key of acopyright protection storage medium is performed after the userregistration explained by using FIG. 11 will be explained with referenceto FIG. 12. In this case, the device key is issued from the licenseserver 3 at the time of registration, however, the device key may foeembedded at the time of shipping. That is, it is preferable that thedevice key previously set in the copyright protection storage medium isstored, or that key information allocated by the registration unit. 306is stored.

First, the user device (PC) 6 connected to the network is associatedwith the user A. When the user device (PC) 6 is associated with the userA, a node of the user device (PC) 6 and a node of the user A issued bythe above registration processing are transmitted to the license server3 (S130).

In Step 3130, the registration unit 306 of the license server 3 whichacquired node information of the user device (PC) 6 and node informationof the user A associates the user device (PC) 6 with the user A (S132).At this time, the registration unit 306 allocates and sets a device keyuniquely to the copyright protection medium mounted on the user device(PC) 6. In the association processing of in Step S132, for example, nodeinformation of the user device (PC) 6 is associated with nodeinformation of the user A. The node information may be information whichcan uniquely identify the user device and the user, and may be thedevice ID of the user device and the device ID of the user.

Associated information which has been associated in Step S132 (includingthe device key) is stored in the user information storage unit 312 inStep S134. Accordingly, the license server 3 can manage user devicesstored in the user information storage unit 312 and that the copyrightprotection medium is associated to which user. Then, information ofassociation between the device ID of the user device and the user ID ofthe user (including the device key) is issued (S136) and transmitted tothe user device (PC) 6 (S133). As described above, the associatedinformation transmitted to the user device (PC) 6 includes keyinformation in which secret information of the user A is encrypted bythe public key of the user device (PC) 6.

The user device (PC) 6 which receives associated information in StepS138 can learn that the device itself and the mounted copyrightprotection storage medium are associated to which user, by the receivedassociated information. When the user device (PC) 6 is associated withthe user A, the device can learn secret information of the user A by keyinformation (device key) included in the associated information. Forexample, when the user A registers itself in the content providingservice and purchases a content, the content is transmitted to theencrypted user A. A content key which encrypts the content is encryptedby a secret, key of the user and transmitted to the user device (PC) 6possessed by the user A. At this time, when the user device (PC) 6 isassociated with the user A and further the device key is set, the userdevice (PC) 6 can acquire secret information of the user A included inthe associated information transmitted by the license server 3, anddecrypt the encrypted content key.

Next, a processing procedure in which the license issuing unit 310 ofthe license server 3 issues a license according to the user ID and thecontent ID will foe explained with reference to FIG. 13.

FIG. 13 is a timing-chart explaining about the issue of the license inthe license server 3. The license issued in the license server 3includes information such as the content key decrypting the content,which is necessary for playing back the content purchased by the user.The content key included in the license is further encrypted by the userkey and the like, and the user device and the like which acquired thelicense can learn that the content key is encrypted by which user keyfrom each information included in the license. The user device and thelike which acquired the license can play back the content encrypted bythe content key when the content key is decrypted based on the aboveassociated information (including the device key concerning thecopyright protection storage medium) and the like. In FIG. 13, the userdevice (PC) 6 transmits the content ID uniquely identifying the contentand node information of the user A to the license server 3 to acquire alicense necessary for playing back the content (S160). As describedabove, when the user device possessed by the user A is associated withthe user A, the user device associated with the user A can use thelicense issued for the user A.

In Step S160, the license server 3 which has received the content ID andnode information of the user A encrypts the content key which encryptedthe content by the public key of the user A (S162). The license server 3generates a license including the content key encrypted in Step S162(3164).

The license generated in Step S164 will be explained with reference torig, 14. As shown in FIG. 13, a license 440 includes a content key 441,a control 444, a protector 447, a controller 450 and the like. Thecontent 430 is encrypted by the content key included in the license andtransmitted from the content server 2.

The content key 441 included in the license 440 is encrypted by a keyincluded in node information transmitted by the user device (PC) 6. Forexample, when node information of the user A is transmitted by the userdevice (PC), the content hey is encrypted by the public key of the userA. The protector 447 includes a content ID which is identificationinformation of the content and a content key ID which is identificationinformation of the content key. The information included in theprotector 447 indicates that which content is played back by using thelicense 440.

The control 444 includes a control code 446 which is usage rules of thecontent and the like. The control code 446 includes a playbackexpiration date and the like of the content purchased by the user. Theuser uses the content within the range of usage rules described in thecontrol code. The control code 446 may also include informationindicating for which node the license 440 has been issued.

The user device which acquired the license 440 judges which node thelicense 440 has been issued for by referring to the control 444. As theresult of judgment, when the license has been issued for the userassociated with the user device, the user device can play back thecontent by using the license.

The controller 450 is information which associates the content key 441with the control 444, including identification information of thecontent key 441 and identification information of the control 444. Inorder to discriminate tampering of the content key 441 and the control444, the controller 450 may include a hash value 453 of the content key441 and a hash value 454 of the control 444. For example, whentransmitted from the license server 3 to the user device and the like,in the case that the content key 441 included in the license 440 istampered, the hash value found from the content key 441 and the hashvalue included in the controller will be different values, therefore, itis possible to judge whether the content key 441 has been tampered ornot. Also concerning to the control 444, the tampering can bediscriminated by the control hash value 454, therefore, it is possibleto find rewriting of usage rules of the content and the like whentransmitting the license. The license has been explained as the above.

Return to FIG. 13, the license generated in Step S164 is issued withrespect to the user device (PC) 6 (3166), and transmitted to the userdevice (PC) 6 (S168).

The user device (PC) 6 receiving the license in Step S168 decrypts thecontent key encrypted by the user key of the user who possesses the userdevice (PC) 6 by using key information (device key) included in theassociated information. The content encrypted by the content, key can beplayed back, in the user device (PC) 6 by decrypting the content by thedecrypted content key. Issue of the license has been described as theabove.

As described above, the user device 6 reads the license issued by thelicense server 3 with respect to the content received playback request,and confirms an expiration date and the like based on the usage rulesshown in FIG. 5. When the usage rules are valid, the user key (KusrA) ofthe user A is acquired by the device key (Kdev1), and the content key(Kc) is acquired from the user key (KusrA) to perform decryption of thecontent, then, the content is played back.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A copyright protection system, comprising: atangible, non-transitory copyright storage medium in which copyrightprotected contents are recorded; an information recording apparatus forrecording the copyright protected contents; a content server connectedto the information recording apparatus for providing the copyrightprotected contents; and a license server handling licenses concerning atleast one of recording or playback of the copyright protected contentsthrough a network and providing license data, wherein: the licensesinclude a unique ID for identifying the tangible, non-transitorycopyright storage medium in the license server, when the informationrecording apparatus is possessed by a prescribed user who has a licenseof the copyright protection contents, the information recordingapparatus copies the copyright protected contents from the contentserver and pastes the copyright protected contents into the tangible,non-transitory copyright storage medium, when the information recordingapparatus is possessed by a user different from the prescribed user, thecopyright protected contents are written in the tangible, non-transitorycopyright storage medium by combining a domain model which assuresplayback in the information recording apparatus and a media-bind model,and in the media-bind model, the licenses are written in the tangible,non-transitory copyright storage medium in a format in accordance with aprotection method of the tangible, non-transitory copyright storagemedium and by using secret data or a secret area of the tangible,non-transitory copyright storage medium.
 2. The copyright protectionsystem according to claim 1, comprising: a content writing area in whichcopyright protected contents are written; and a unique area in which theunique ID is written, wherein the unique area is used for writing thecopyright protected contents in the content writing area by combiningthe domain model and the media-bind model.
 3. The copyright protectionsystem according to claim 1, wherein a key unique to the tangible,non-transitory copyright storage medium is written in a unique area. 4.The copyright protection system according to claim 2, wherein the uniqueID is set by the license server.
 5. An information recording apparatusconnected to a content server providing copyright protected contents anda license server handling licenses concerning at least one of recordingor playback the copyright protected contents through a network,receiving and recording the copyright protected contents, and providinglicense data, the information recording apparatus comprising: a writingmeans for writing the copyright protected contents in a tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium, wherein: thelicenses include a unique ID for identifying the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in the licenseserver, when a prescribed user who has a license of the copyrightprotection contents possesses the information recording apparatus, thewriting means copies the copyright protected contents from the contentserver and pastes the copyright protected contents into the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium, when the informationrecording apparatus is possessed by a user different from the prescribeduser, the writing means writes the copyright protected contents in thecopyright protection storage medium by combining a domain model whichassures playback in the information recording apparatus and a media-bindmodel, and in the media-bind model, the licenses are written in thetangible, non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in a formatin accordance with a protection method of the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium and by using secret data or a secretarea of the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium.
 6. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5,wherein the writing means uses the unique ID set to the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in order to acquire auser key which encrypts a content key of the copyright protectedcontents.
 7. The information recording apparatus according to claim 5,wherein the writing means uses a unique key set to the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in order to acquire auser key which encrypts a content key of the copyright protectedcontents.
 8. The information recording apparatus according to claim 6,wherein the ID which is unique to the tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium is set by the license server.
 9. Aninformation recording method executed by an information recordingapparatus connected to a content server providing copyright protectedcontents and a license server handling licenses concerning at least oneof recording or playback of the copyright protected contents through anetwork, receiving and recording the copyright protected contents, andproviding license data, the method comprising the steps of: writing thecopyright protected contents in a tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium, wherein: the licenses include a unique ID foridentifying the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium in the license server, when a prescribed user who has a licenseof the copyright protection contents possesses the information recordingapparatus, the writing comprises copying the copyright protectedcontents from the content server and pasting the copyright protectedcontents into the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium, when the information recording apparatus is possessed by a userdifferent from the prescribed user, the writing comprises writing thecopyright protected contents in the tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium by combining a domain model which assuresplayback in the information recording apparatus and a media-bind model,and in the media-bind model, the licenses are written in the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in a format inaccordance with a protection method of the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium and by using secret data or a secretarea of the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium.
 10. An information playback apparatus playing back copyrightprotected contents recorded in a tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium, comprising: a playback means for playing backthe copyright protected contents from the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium, and a license server means forhandling licenses concerning at least one of recording or playback ofthe copyright protected contents through a network, receiving andrecording the copyright protected content, and providing license data,wherein: the licenses include a unique ID for identifying the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in the licenseserver, the copyright protected contents are copied from a contentserver and pasted into the tangible, non-transitory copyright protectionstorage medium, when a prescribed user having a license of the copyrightprotected contents possesses the information playback apparatus, and thecopyright protected contents are written in the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium by combining a domain model and amedia-bind model, when the information playback apparatus is possessedby another user who is different from the prescribed user, and in themedia-bind model, the licenses are written in the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in a format inaccordance with a protection method of the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium and by using secret data or a secretarea of the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium.
 11. The information playback apparatus according to claim 10,wherein the playback means uses the ID unique to the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in order to acquire auser key which encrypts a content key of the copyright protectedcontents.
 12. The information playback apparatus according to claim 10,wherein the playback means uses a key unique to the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in order to acquire auser key which encrypts a content key of the copyright protectedcontents.
 13. The information playback apparatus according to claim 11,wherein the ID which is unique to the tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium is set by the license server connected througha network.
 14. An information playback method executed by an informationplayback apparatus playing back copyright protected contents recorded ina tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storage medium, themethod comprising the steps of: playing back the copyright protectedcontents from the copyright protection storage medium, and handlinglicenses concerning at least one of recording or playback of thecopyright protected contents through a network, receiving and recordingthe tangible, non-transitory copyright protected contents, and providinglicense data, wherein: the licenses include a unique ID for identifyingthe copyright protection storage medium, the copyright protectedcontents are copied from a content server and pasted into the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium, when a prescribeduser who has a license of the copyright protection contents possessesthe information playback apparatus, the copyright protected contents arewritten in the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium by combining a domain model and a media-bind model, when theinformation playback apparatus is possessed by another user who isdifferent from the prescribed user, and in the media-bind model, thelicenses are written in the tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium in a format in accordance with a protectionmethod of the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium and by using secret data or a secret area of the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium.
 15. An informationrecording apparatus connected to a content server providing copyrightprotected contents and a license server handling licenses concerning atleast one of recording or playback of the copyright protected contentsthrough a network, receiving and recording the copyright protectedcontents, and providing license data, the apparatus comprising: awriting unit writing the copyright protected contents in a tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium, wherein: thelicenses include a unique ID for identifying the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in the licenseserver, when a prescribed user who has a license of the copyrightprotection contents possesses the information recording apparatus, thewriting unit copies the copyright protected contents from the contentserver and pastes the copyright protected contents into the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium, when the informationrecording apparatus is possessed by a user different from the prescribeduser, the writing unit writes the copyright protected contents in thetangible, non-transitory copyright protection storage medium bycombining a domain model which assures playback in the informationrecording apparatus and a media-bind model, and wherein in themedia-bind model, the licenses are written in the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in a format inaccordance with a protection method of the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium and by using secret data or a secretarea of the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium.
 16. An information playback apparatus playing back copyrightprotected contents recorded in a tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium, comprising: a playback unit playing back thecopyright protected contents from the tangible, non-transitory copyrightprotection storage medium; and a license server unit handling licensesconcerning at least one of recording or playback of the copyrightprotected contents through a network, receiving and recording thecopyright protected contents, and providing license data, wherein: thelicenses include a unique ID for identifying the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in the licenseserver, the copyright protected contents are copied from a contentserver and pasted into the tangible, non-transitory copyright protectionstorage medium, when a prescribed user having a license of the copyrightprotected contents possesses the information playback apparatus, thecopyright protected contents are written in the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium by combining a domain model and amedia-bind model, when the information playback apparatus is possessedby another user who is different from the prescribed user, and whereinin the media-bind model, the licenses are written in the tangible,non-transitory copyright protection storage medium in a format inaccordance with a protection method of the tangible, non-transitorycopyright protection storage medium and by using secret data or a secretarea of the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium.
 17. The copyright protection system according to claim 3,wherein the key is set by the license server.
 18. The informationrecording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the key which isunique to the tangible, non-transitory copyright protection storagemedium is set by the license server.
 19. The information playbackapparatus according to claim 12, wherein the key which is unique to thetangible, non-transitory copyright protection storage medium is set bythe license server connected through a network.
 20. The copyrightprotection system according to claim 1, wherein the license dataincludes usage rules, which include information selected from at leastone of the following: an expiration date for use until which thecopyright protected content can be used based on the license, anexpiration date for download until which the copyright protected contentcan be downloaded based on the license, a number of times the copyrightprotected content is permitted to be copied based on the license, anumber of check-out times, a maximum number of check-out times, a rightfor recording the copyright protected content in an optical disc basedon the license, a number of times the copyright protected content ispermitted to be copied in the information recording apparatus, a rightwhich moves the license to an ownership or purchase state, and a dutyfor taking a use log.